Friday, July 21, 2017

Taiwan 8D7N Free & Easy Tour - Gaomei Wetlands (高美湿地)

When I was planning the itinerary for our trip to Taiwan, Gaomei Wetlands (高美湿地) was top on my list. It was a little off from the central area in Taichung and not as accessible or near to public transportation. Qingshui district is probably the nearest for tourists to get to Gaomei. Nevertheless, we were determined and arranged for transportation to bring us to our destination.

Gaomei Wetlands is located on the south of the mouth of Dajia River and more than a thousand hectares in size. Its land has a special mix of both sand and soil textures providing complicated yet rich wetland ecology. This is the perfect place to observe crabs, mud-skippers, fishes and migratory birds.

Apart from its biological diversity, the enchanting landscape is what makes Gaomei Wetlands popular among locals, tourists and photographers. The rows of turbo windmills with the setting sun as the backdrop is simply romantic and mesmerizing. As our vehicle drove past the windmills, I cannot help myself to exclaim with joy and excitement!

As we took a longer time visiting the other places of interests, and then got caught in the traffic, we arrived at Gaomei Wetlands a little later than expected (~4.40pm) and the sun was almost setting!

Tips:Sunset in Taiwan has different timings than in Singapore so you do have to make sure you plan your itinerary well to arrive before the sunset and when the tide is the lowest if you wish to walk on the wetlands.

Beautiful patches of sedges growing on the wetlands.

The wooden boardwalk stretching 800m into the wetlands was recently constructed to preserve the delicate environment of the sedge grassland. During high tides, you can walk out towards the sea. At low tides, take a walk down to the wetlands to catch crabs, mudskippers and even shellfish!

It was pretty crowded when we arrived. Make sure you don't lose sight of your children especially the younger ones. Thankfully the weather was rather cooling in the November month and we got to enjoy the evening breeze and catch the sunset!

Many stopped to take pictures of the setting sun.

Windmills, wetlands and the sunset. :)

If the tide is low, you can take off your footwear and soak your feet into the waters. Many left their footwear on the boardwalk. If you are not afraid of losing it, you can do the same. We follow suit and left our sandals among the multiple pairs on the platform praying hard that they are still there upon our return. Thankfully we found our pairs after our walk.

Tips: If you are planning to visit Gaomei Wetlands on a low tide, suggest that you wear light, avoid long dress, pants or jeans. Wear slippers or sandals instead of sports shoes. You can bring along a plastic bag and put your slippers into your bag and carry along.

View of the boardwalk from the wetlands.

Many little crabs can be found on the wetlands. We spotted families carrying buckets and spades and digging through the sand looking for crabs.

Hubby is always awesome with crabs.

The wetlands is incredibly clean! The waters feels cool and it did not leave any mud particles on our soles. No worries about having to wash your feet later at all!

Gaomei Wetlands is a great spot for taking photographs. The backdrop is beautiful and we enjoyed the fresh air. Indeed a rare gem to visit in Taichung.

Don't miss out taking the reflective mirror images on the wetlands. The waters is so clear and you can take many fun shots!

We ventured pretty far out into the wetland and the sky is turning dark very fast. Despite wanting to stay a little longer, we have to make our way back to the boardwalk and bid farewell to the wetlands.

As we were walking back, the boardwalk were off limits for visitors to enter. It was very dark and we have to watch our steps. Do take note of the timings of the tides to avoid disappointment.

Gaomei Wetlands is simply gorgeous! Truly a great wonderland where the land meets the sea. Next time if you are in Taichung, do set aside some time to visit the wetlands and enjoy the natural beauty of nature.